Law and Religion Headlines
Monday, 6 March 2023
Russia: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest Feb 16-28
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
China: Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly digest Feb 16-28
(Human Rights Without Frontiers International)
Portugese Catholics fight to bring back the “work-free Sunday”
(Christian Network Europe)
Ending the epicycles of the Establishment Clause
(Josh Blackman, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Mgr. Hérouard at the European Parliament presents reflection paper on the Social Economy
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
European Sunday Alliance: “a synchronised quality resting time for an improved mental health of workers”
(The Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE))
We’re told Pentecostal churches like Hillsong are growing in Australia, but they’re not anymore – is there a gender problem?
(Roxie Clare Shorter and Tanya Riches, The Conversation)
Friday, 3 March 2023
EVENT, 3 March 2023 (12PM ET): Pursuing Common Ground: How Religious Freedom is Vital for the Common Good (Washington, DC)
(Faith & Law)
How ISIS and al-Qaeda exploit the earthquake in Turkey to mobilize support
(Uran Botobekov)
China and Mexico: Letter to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs Marcelo Ebrard
(Tamara Taraciuk Broner and Maya Wang, Human Rights Watch)
China's head of ethnic affairs is keen to end minority culture
(Aaron Glasserman, Foreign Policy)
China's new directive on law schools: They should teach that separation of powers is wrong
(Zhou Kexin, Bitter Winter: A Magazine on Religious Liberty and Human Rights in China)
West Virginia passes Religious Freedom Restoration Act
(Peter Pinedo, Catholic News Agency)
Israel’s ultra-Orthodox seek to prohibit Passover non-Kosher food in hospitals
(Mazal Mualem, Al-Monitor)
Political repression of religious leaders’ manifestations of faith in Nicaragua
(Rossana Muga and Teresa Flores, International Journal for Religious Freedom (IJRF))
Three big numbers that tell the story of secularization in America
(Phil Zuckerman, The Conversation)
It’s time to stop erasing Black Muslim Americans from the story of Islam in the US
(Salima Suswell, Religion News Service)
Atrocities in Myanmar: documenting the junta’s attacks on civilians
(Alar Corritti, Mie Mie, Matthias, and Ko Banya, The United States Institute of Peace)
Iranian media reports hundreds of schoolgirls poisoned
(Michael Page, Human Rights Watch)
USCIRF outraged by suspected poison attacks on girls attending school in Iran
(U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom)
UN describes worsening Afghanistan rights crisis
(Fereshta Abbasi and Patricia Gossman, Human Rights Watch)
DR Congo/France: prioritize rights issues for Macron’s visit
(Human Rights Watch)
Open letter to permanent representatives of member and observer states to the UN Human Rights Council
(Human Rights Watch)
Letter to the UN Special Procedures on abortion rights in the US
(Human Rights Watch)
Movement out of India that 'disseminates hate' victimizes religious minority groups, report says
(Lisa Xing, CBC News)
Reasonable limits: how far does religious freedom go in Canada?
(Dwight Newman, Cardus)
NCCM and WSO launch major report on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh network in Canada
(National Council of Canadian Muslims)
Can mass atrocities be prevented? This course attempts to answer the question
(Mike Brand, The Conversation)
Sage, sacred to Native Americans, is being used in purification rituals, raising issues of cultural appropriation
(Helen A. Berger, The Conversation)
Banning books; Banning brains. Neglect of commitments to education has profound social and political implications.
(William Schweiker, Sightings, The University of Chicago Divinity School)
US decries Israeli minister's call to erase Palestinian town
(Daily Sabah)
Australia: Religious schools can build a community of faith without discriminating. The law should reflect that
(Liam Elphick, Alice Taylor, and Robin Banks, The Conversation)
Finland launches probe into terrorist PKK provocation
(Daily Sabah)
Orthodox Union urges U.S. Supreme Court to strengthen rights for religious employees in the workplace
(Orthodox Union)
We do not have blasphemy laws in Great Britain
(Suella Braverman, The Times)
King Charles coronation oil is consecrated in Jerusalem
(Nadeem Badshah, The Guardian)
Explained: Review of UK’s counter-terror scheme raises eyebrows
(TRT World)
New report shows religious dynamics in Nigeria’s ongoing violence
(Paul Marshall, Providence)
Becket to Supreme Court: No one should be fired for keeping holy days
(Becket)
Witness the faithful: Oakwood’s unprecedented championship run
(Becket)
New book: The Global Politics of Interreligious Dialogue: Religious Change, Citizenship, and Solidarity in the Middle East
(Michael D. Driessen, Oxford University Press)
Catholic bishops sound 'alarm' on Equal Rights Amendment, saying it will hurt religious freedom
(Timothy H.J. Nerozzi, Fox News)
Staten Island man sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to commit antisemitic hate crimes
(U.S. Department of Justice)
6th Circuit: Muslim-owned company adequately alleged religious and national origin discrimination
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Objectors to religious motto on license plates may cover the motto
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Romanian Roma threaten church with lawsuit over role in slavery
(Madalin Necsutu, Balkan Insight)
Georgia’s new defense code is going to discriminate against minority religions
(Jan Leonid Bornstein, The European Times)
Bahrain prosecutes religious reformers: traditionalists fight back
(James M. Dorsey, Modern Diplomacy)
Bangladesh: How do UN, other rights bodies react to attacks on Ahmadiyyas?
(Dhaka Tribune)
India tries to police religious conversions
(Tunku Varadarajan, The Wall Street Journal)
Top five cases related to religious freedom in India
(Lija Merin John, ADF India)
‘No religious minority can freely live or practice its religion in Pakistan today’: India at UNHRC
(The Hindu)
European National Councils of Churches advocate for peace that is just
(Conference of European Churches)
Secularity and secularism (Portuguese)
(Pedro Vaz Patto, 7 Margens)
Brazil: Racism and religious freedom will be the subject of a public hearing at the CMA (Portuguese)
(Lucivânia Pereira, Câmara Municipal de Aracaju)
Brazil: Protection of freedom of religion (Portuguese)
(Ricardo Russell Brandão Cavalcanti, Conjur)
In the news: breaking religious freedom stories across the country - 3 March 2023
(First Liberty)
Banning books; banning brains: Neglect of commitments to education has profound social and political implications.
(William Schweiker, Sightings, The University of Chicago Divinity School)
Wednesday, 1 March 2023
EVENT, 27 February - 1 March 2023: Meeting of the European National Councils of Churches (Brussels)
(Conference of European Churches)
WRITING COMPETITION, submissions due 1 March 2023: Church, State & Society Writing Competition 2023
(University of Notre Dame Law School)
What’s so special about the Asbury Revivals?
(Helen Jin Kim, Sightings, The University of Chicago Divinity School)
He gets us? The religious-political machine behind the surprising Super Bowl ad
(Erin Simmonds, Sightings, The University of Chicago Divinity School)
What’s going on with the wave of GOP bills about trans teens? Utah provides clues
(Kelsy Burke and Tyler Lefevor, The Conversation)
‘Our state is at war with our family’: Clergy with trans kids fight back
(Ariana Eunjung Cha, The Washington Post)
The importance of Christianity to Black Americans
(Madelyn Snodgrass, PRRI)
Abortion attitudes in a post-Roe world: Findings from the 50-state 2022 American Values Atlas
(PRRI)
The Asbury revival is over. What happens now?
(Fiona Morgan, The Washington Post)
She pushed back her student’s hijab. Was it a mistake or an act of hate?
(Laura Meckler, The Washington Post)
Restricting Turkmen language in Iraq violation of rights: Ankara
(Daily Sabah)
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on freedom of religion or belief in Turkey report is published
(İnanç Özgürlüğü Girişimi)
CSIS targeting of Canadian Muslims reveals the importance of addressing institutional Islamophobia
(Baljit Nagra and Paula Maurutto, The Conversation)
With Islamophobia on the rise, Muslim communities are calling for safety. Canada already has one program, it just has to fix it
(Steven Zhou, Bilal Rahhal, and Mohamed Labidi, Toronto Star)
Competing to do good: Corporate faith initiatives
(Religious Freedom & Business Foundation)
Trinidad and Tobago: bring home nationals from northeast Syria
(Human Rights Watch)
Can the G20 agree on human rights?
(John Sifton, Human Rights Watch)
Myanmar Junta Extends Martial Law
(Manny Maung, Human Rights Watch)
Orthodox Union stands up for religious freedom, files amicus brief with US Supreme Court in Groff v. DeJoy
(Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America)
China’s religious diplomacy for its Belt and Road Initiative
(Juyan Zhang, Berkley Center for Religion, Peace & World Affairs, Georgetown University)
Protestant Council of Rwanda bars abortions in its clinics
(Ignatius Ssuuna, Associated Press)
11th Circuit: Plaintiff can move ahead with claims stemming from denial of kosher meals in jail
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
Africa’s sahel needs a coordinated plan on extremist violence
(Kris Inman, The United States Institute of Peace)
Court rejects free exercise claim of judge who was not reappointed because of vaccination status
(Howard Friedman, Religion Clause)
US Department of Labor rule rescission returns to longstanding policy, practice on religious exemptions for federal contractors, subcontractors
(U.S. Department of Labor)
What’s the future of religious student clubs?
(Kelsey Dallas, Deseret News)
Adams, discussing faith, dismisses idea of separating church and state
(Dana Rubinstein, The New York Times)
Faith leaders urge Biden to sign executive order for reparations study by Juneteenth
(Adelle M. Banks, Religion News Service)
Supreme Court can restore religious liberty protection in the workplace | opinion
(Alan J. Reinach, Newsweek)
Danish government abolishes Prayer Day
(Christian Network Europe)
Iran: Pastor Nadarkhani released as part of national amnesty
(CSW: Everyone Free to Believe)
Kenya: Statement on the recent Supreme Court judgment
(Twitter, Kenya Christian Professionals' Forum (KCPF))
Opinion: Slattery v. Hochul (religious mission / freedom of association) (PDF)
(The Second Circuit Court of Appeals)
Does the First Amendment bar public schools from removing school library books based on their viewpoints?
(Eugene Volokh, The Volokh Conspiracy)
Malaysia: Domestic halal market value to hit RM400bil by 2030, says Zahid
(Junaid Ibrahim, The Star)
Major Indian broadcaster fined by regulator over ‘anti-Muslim content’
(Sravasti Dasgupta, Independent)
Spanish church vows to resist new 'anti-life laws'
(Jonathan Luxmoore, Angelus)
Texas Attorney General Paxton joins letter blasting FBI over ‘radical Catholic’ memo
(Mark A. Kellner, The Washington Times)
Keynote fireside conversation with Dr. Azza Karam
(YouTube Video, Fletcher Initiative on Religion, Law & Diplomacy)
Formula One drivers urged to speak up for human rights in Bahrain
(Al Jazeera)
Chief Rabbi and Archbishop of Canterbury lament ‘vanishing of religion from public square’
(Jenni Frazer, Jewish News)
Economic, social and cultural rights in Great Britain
(Equality and Human Rights Commission)
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